Anybody interested-

In what we are eating this week? Here's my weekly plan. It includes three new recipes, so I thought I'd share. I've never tried these, so I'll let you know.

Monday (with salad and bread)

Roasted Red Pepper and Herb Pasta with Shrimp(from Cooking Light)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups shrimp and pasta mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)

2 red bell peppers
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 20 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside.

3. Cook fettuccine according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Set aside; keep warm.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic to pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until the onion is tender, stirring frequently. Add shrimp to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and 1/4 cup lemon juice to the pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until the shrimp are done and half of the liquid has evaporated. Add chopped parsley and the next 5 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper) to the shrimp mixture. Remove pan from heat.

5.Combine cooked fettuccine and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large bowl; toss well. Add shrimp mixture, tossing gently to coat. Top each serving with cheese.

Tuesday (with grilled cheese)

Cannellini Bean Stew (from Real Simple)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Other Time: 15 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings

2 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained
1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
6 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan (optional)

In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, bring the beans, broth, garlic, bay leaf, and carrots to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper and stir for 1 minute. Spoon the stew into bowls. Drizzle with the oil. If desired, add either some vinegar or Parmesan.

Wednesday (side dishes- green beans and roasted red potatoes)

Lazy Cranberry Chicken(From I'm a Lazy Mom)

(The following is quoted from her site.)

4-5 chicken breasts
1 8oz bottle of french dressing
1 packet of dry onion soup mix
1 16oz can of whole cranberries

Place your breasts (the chicken's, not yours) in a crock pot. I slap mine in there frozen (the chicken's, not mine), but if you have some time (and want this dish to be even better) you can brown your breasts (the chicken's, not yours) on both sides in a pan before putting them in the crock pot. Which is something I've NEVER done, but I do recommend it for those of you who aren't as pathetic as I am. It adds flavor. Or something like that.

Next, pour in the whole bottle of dressing, toss in the soup mix and dump in the cranberries. (Those are all very technical cooking terms in case you were wondering.)

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours or until your breasts are done (the chicken's, not yours).

Serve over a bed of rice, noodles, or just throw it down on a plate like I did.

(I'm going to try this with Fiddle DeeDee's brown rice)

Thursday

Spaghetti and meatballs, salad and bread (Depending on my enthusiasm I may make homemade meatballs from The Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader and marinara from Jennifer's cooking blog and Cooking Light. It makes a ton, so if you use this recipe be prepared to freeze some.)

If you make any of these, let me know how they go!